Player Pub presents trivia night

“What jazz band leader, famous for playing at the Cotton Club, released the album ‘Three Little Words’ and ‘Stormy Weather’?”

“This is Canada’s smallest province, in both land and population.”

What do these questions have in common? They were all questions asked in the Player’s Pub’s “Pub Quiz Team Trivia” category called “Royal Trivia.”

The answers to the questions were Duke Ellington, Prince Edward Island and other answers involving royal titles.

The Player’s Pub’s “Pub Quiz Team Trivia” takes place every week at 6:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Josh Johnson, the founder of Mid by Midwest Productions, organizes and presents the “Pub Quiz Team Trivia.”

The game involves six categories with five questions each. The title of each category gives players a hint to the answers.

Monday’s event included categories like “Marine Life,” “Say Cheese,” “‘F’ Words” and “Person, Place or Thing.”

The players are divided into teams based on their table.

Prizes for winning are $40 for first place, $30 for second place, $20 for third place and free cake for fourth place.

Actor Jesse Eisenberg is one of the regulars at Player’s Pub’s trivia nights.

“Player’s Pub trivia is the most fun thing to do in Bloomington,” Eisenberg said. “Josh comes up with such great questions and really fun categories. It’s a really nice group of people who come out to play.“

Eisenberg said he is good at sports and geography questions, but he struggles with pop culture and 80s music.

His team did not do well at this event, but he still had a good time and he likes the challenges the categories present, Eisenberg said.

“Josh always has a very clever title that gives you a hint but still presents a challenge,” Eisenberg said.

At one trivia night, a category called “The Good Journalist” was particularly difficult, he said. The questions in the category involved a who, what, where and when, and the team didn’t realize what the category meant until it was too late.

Eisenberg said he also likes the social aspect of trivia night.

“Tonight’s more social than it’s ever been because there are more kids,” he said. “It’s more fun.”

Jeff Smith, 38, who has been a regular at the trivia nights since November, said the events allow him to meet new people.

“My only strengths are pop culture,” he said. “I love to get on teams where people read a lot of books, or else I am out of luck.”

Johnson said he tries to have diverse categories that challenge people but give everyone a chance to succeed.

“It’s been a really interesting representation of Bloomington,” Johnson said. “Player’s Pub is such a welcoming place that I think it makes a lot of people feel comfortable.”

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